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3 best ways to market via local newspaper blogs

October 29, 2006

An excellent and overlooked opportunity to expand your presence is engaging with local newspaper blogs. You’ll not only be seen by those drawn to newspaper blogs, but you’ll also build relationships with columnists and reporters writing for the print copy of the newspaper.

Here’s the 3 best ways to do the job.

  1. Comment on a newspaper blog. We all love comments, especially reporters who are just learning to blog. The comment need not relate the topic of your blog. You are commenting to get known and to build a relationship with the blogger. The reporter will see your name, your blog url, and email. My commenting on the Seattle Times Business and Technology Blog resulted in a feature article on our company in the business section of Seattle Times print edition.
  2. Suggest that the newspaper add a blog in your area of expertise to their existing menu of blogs and offer to publish the blog for them. Look at the El Paso Times blogs. The blogs are not all authored by their reporters. The paper will be likely be looking for more blogs.
  3. Subscribe to the RSS feeds of the newspaper blog(s) that are most likely to include a post of interest to your blog audience. When you see such a post share it with your audience. Let the reporter know.

Marketing like this is a win/win for you and the newspaper. Newspaper revenues are declining. One area where revenues are increasing is with their online editions. Blogs bring traffic to online editions of newspapers. Help the newspaper and yourself by getting involved with newspaper blogs.